@sortedarray= map{ $_->[0] } sort{ $a->[1] cmp $b->[1] || $a->[2] <=> $b->[2] || $a->[3] cmp $b->[3] } map { if ( m/^(.+?)\((\d+)\)\s-\s\[(.+?)\].+?"(.*?)"\.$/ ) { my ($disc_file,$page,$key,$val) = ($1,$2,$3,$4); [$_,$disc_file,$page,$key]; } } ; foreach(@sortedarray){ print "$_\n"; } __END__ CD1\01100809.pdf(1) - [Account Number] Indexed key "654546654". CD2\01100809.pdf(1) - [Invoice Date] Indexed key "10/08/2001". CD1\01100809.pdf(1) - [Customer Name] Indexed key "FOOBAR". CD2\01100809.pdf(1) - [Contact Name] Indexed key "Dr. FOO". CD4\01100809.pdf(20) - [Account Number] Indexed key "54356564". CD4\01100809.pdf(20) - [Invoice Date] Indexed key "10/08/2001". CD1\01100809.pdf(20) - [Customer Name] Indexed key "FOOBAR". CD1\01100809.pdf(20) - [Contact Name] Indexed key "Dr. FOO". CD1\01100814.pdf(33) - [Account Number] Indexed key "56357576537". CD3\01100814.pdf(33) - [Invoice Date] Indexed key "10/08/2001". CD3\01100814.pdf(33) - [Customer Name] Indexed key "FOOBAR". CD1\01100814.pdf(33) - [Contact Name] Indexed key "Dr. FOO". CD2\01100813.pdf(27) - [Account Number] Indexed key "73677576". CD3\01100813.pdf(27) - [Invoice Date] Indexed key "10/08/2001". CD1\01100813.pdf(27) - [Customer Name] Indexed key "FOOBAR". CD3\01100813.pdf(27) - [Contact Name] Indexed key "Dr. FOO".